FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a portion of wireless telecommunications network 100 that is available in the prior art. Wireless network 100 comprises: mobile switching center (“MSC”) 101, base station controller (“BSC”) 103, base station 105, serving mobile location center (“SMLC”) 107, gateway mobile location center (“GMLC”) 109, secure user plane location (SUPL) location platform (“SLP”) 111, location-based services (“LBS”) client 113, and mobile station 150, interrelated as shown. At least some of the aforementioned elements communicate with each other via computer network 130.
Wireless network 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1 is a wireless network that is configured to operate according to the Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”) standards. In some configurations, wireless network 100 can be a wireless network that is based on a different 3rd Generation Partnership Project (“3GPP”) cellular network standard, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“UMTS”) or Long-Term Evolution (“LTE”), or based on a 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (“3GPP”) cellular network standard, such as Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”).
Mobile switching center (“MSC”) 101 is a wireless network element that, among other functions, provides mobility management and primary call support, for voice and other services, along with connectivity to the Public Switched Telephone Network (“PSTN”).
Base station controller (“BSC”) 103 is responsible for signaling between a mobile station and the main switching elements of the network such as mobile switching center 101. Typically, base station controller 103 controls a plurality of base stations 105, but only one base station 105 is illustrated here for simplicity.
Base station 105 is responsible for the wireless radio frequency (“RF”) communication link to the mobile stations in the area. Base station 105 serves a cell of wireless network 100 and has a unique cell identification within the network. A group of cells define a “location area.” As illustrated in FIG. 1, base station 105 is the serving base station to mobile station 150, i.e., provides the necessary service that enables voice and/or data services to mobile station 150.
Serving mobile location center (“SMLC”) 107 provides standards-based, control plane (CP) locating, by i) collecting information from mobile station 150 and/or serving base station 105 via base station controller 103 and ii) based on the information collected, estimating the mobile's location to a certain level of accuracy (e.g., to within a radius of 300 meters). The SMLC performs location estimation via one or more methods that can include cell-ID (CID), cell ID plus timing information (CI+TI), enhanced cell ID (E-CID), observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA), assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS), or radio-frequency pattern-matching (RFPM), for example and without limitation. In providing a location estimate via a control plane location procedure, these methods utilize signal measurements and/or other data (e.g., handset-calculated location, etc.) that are obtained via the control plane and from the mobile station and/or serving base station.
Gateway mobile location center (“GMLC”) 109 is an element of the wireless network that typically interfaces with external location services systems that provide higher-level applications. Within wireless network 100, gateway mobile location center 109 transmits location requests to mobile switching center 101 and receives location estimates that were generated by serving mobile location center 107 and transmitted therefrom “upstream” to gateway mobile location center 109.
SUPL location platform (“SLP”) 111 provides functionality similar to that of SMLC 107, except through the user plane (UP). The location estimation performed by SLP 111 utilizes signal measurements and/or other data (e.g., handset-calculated location, etc.) that are obtained via the user plane from mobile station 150.
Location-based services (“LBS”) client 113 requests and uses location data to control features, such as deploying emergency resources in response to E-911 calls and delivering marketing information to customers in a specific geographical area, for example and without limitation.
Mobile station 150 is illustratively a GSM cellular telephone. As such, mobile station 150 wirelessly receives and/or transmits signals from one or more base stations 105. At least some of the signals that are exchanged between mobile station 150 and base station 105 are used in location estimates that involve the control plane or in location estimates that involve the user plane.